Web feed registration means having a coarse and fine feed



J. W. SCULLY June 18, 1968 WEB FEED REGISTRATION MEANS HAVING A COARSE AND FINE FEED 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1965 mvrsmoa John W Saul/y BY 4 M Mum/ '4 June 18, 1968 J. w. SCULLY 3,388,845

WEB FEED REGISTRATION MEANS HAVING A COARSE AND FINE FEED mvsmon John W. Sou/l y BY (L- eLu J. w. SCULLY 3,388,845

WEB FEED REGISTRATION MEANS HAVING A COARSE AND FINE FEED June 18, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 1, 1965 mvwrox John W Soul/y BY @ZMOM mm- MON June 18, 1968 .1. w. SCULLY 3,333,845

WEB FEED REGISTRATION MEANS HAVING A COARSE AND FINE FEED 7 Filed Oct. 1, 1965 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvwron John W. Saul/y ATTORNEY WEB FEED REGISTRATION MEANS HAVING A COARSE AND FINE FEED Filed Oct. 1, 1965 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q O n O O my E on. u r l 1 v I. H k a ll 1 Nu. I a m9 0 l O m I BY June 18, 1968 J. w. SCULLY 3,388,345

WEB FEED REGISTRATION MEANS HAVING A COARSE AND FINE FEED Filed Oct. 1, 1965 7 Sheets-Sheet;

3e 14 3e as mvsmoa John W .Scu/ly BY flaw (L4 lm ATTORNEY J. W. SCULLY June 18, 1968 WEB FEED REGISTRATION MEANS HAVING A COARSE AND FINE FEED 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Oct. 1, 1965 ig/O INVENTOR. John W .Scu/ly ATTORNEY 3,388,845 WEB FEED REGISTRATION MEANS HAVING A COARSE AND FINE FEED John W. Scully, Raynham, Mass., assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Quincy, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 491,989 10 Claims. (Cl. 22628) This invention relates to a container forming machine and more particularly to a web feeding apparatus for a container forming machine.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved container forming machine wherein a printed web of flexible sheet material is utilized to produce successive containers and which is characterized by novel provision for controlling the feeding of the web to effect registration of successive printed sections of the web with relation to the container forming mechanisms within predetermined and commercially acceptable tolerances.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the web feeding apparatus for a container forming machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a container forming machine embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation at a larger scale of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional detail view of an overrunning clutch utilized in the present web feeding mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the printed web;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a plan view at a larger scale of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation partly in cross section of the mechanism shown in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a wiring diagram to be referred to.

In general, the present invention contemplates novel web feeding and registering mechanism for a container forming machine for feeding a printed web of flexible sheet material from a supply thereof and into operative position to be severed to form successive individual printed sheets of container forming material. The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a container forming machine wherein the sheet material is fed into operative position to be wrapped about a forming block to form a bag. Inasmuch as the details of such container forming machines are well known and of themselves constitute no part of the present invention, only sufficient portions of such machines are herein illustrated and described to enable the present invention to be understood.

The printed sheet material is preferably supplied in roll form, and in operation a web is continuously withdrawn from the supply roll at a rate such as to enable a length of the leading end thereof to be intermittently advanced into operative relation to the forming block whereupon the leading end of the web is severed to form an individual sheet of container forming material each cycle of operation of the machine.

ited States Patent 0 Patented June 18, 1968 When printed webs are used in a machine having a linear web advancing mechanism arranged to advance the web a fixed length corresponding to a predetermined bag length, it is difiicult to maintain correct registration of successive printed bag sections with the severing mechamsm since, in practice, the sections may vary due to inaccuracies in printing; to variations in expansion and contraction of the web due to atmospheric conditions; stretching of the web during withdrawal; or possible slippage of the web. Thus, any slight variations in the length of the printed sections are cumulative so that eventually the web departs from proper registration with the bag forming and severing mechanisms.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for varying the linear advance of the web during the continuous movement thereof to compensate for the variations in the printed web. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, provision is made for continuously withdrawing the web from its supply roll by means of a feed roll or metering roll in cooperation with a backing roll. The metering roll is rotated one revolution each cycle of the machine and is of a circumference such as to advance the web a distance substantially less, in the neighborhood of one-eighth inch less, for example, than the nominal distance between the printed sections. During such advance, provision is made for applying an additonal increment of rotation to the metering roll each cycle of operation in a direction overrunning the advance of the web as effected by the metering roll, the additional increment being such as to advance the web a distance of about three thirty-seconds of an inch, for example, beyond the length advanced by the metering roll so as to provide a total normal advance of the web a distance of about one thirty-second of an inch less than the nominal length of a printed section each cycle of operation.

Each printed section is provided with a registration mark, and provision is made for detecting the position of successive registration marks during a predetermined time in the continuous advance of the web each cycle of operation. Since the web is being advanced a short distance less than the nominal length of a printed section each cycle of operation, the web will lag behind so that eventually the detecting means will be triggered by the lagging position of successive registration marks to actuate correcting mechanism arranged to cause an additional increment of rotation to feed the web a short distance more than the nominal length between the printed sections. Since the commercial tolerance is about plus or minus one-sixteenth of an inch from a predetermined nominal length of successive printed sections, it will be seen that the provision for detecting a variation of the web from a maximum permitted tolerance during the feeding thereof and for effecting a corrective feeding during the same cycle that the detection is made, the web is advanced to effect substantial registration of successive printed sections each cycle of operation in the manner described within the tolerance permited until a further detection indicates the need for another correction.

It will thus be seen that the underfeeding of the web is made in two steps, that is, by first effecting a relatively large underfeed by means of the smaller circumference metering roll and by then reducing the underfeed by effecting a further increment of rotation of the metering roll each cycle of operation. It has been found in practice that the expedient of effecting the underfeed in two steps enables more exact adjustment of the underfeed to be made whereby to accommodate different rolls of printed web material which might vary slightly in length from a predetermined nominal length, the advantage being that the correcting mechanism will not be required to operate as often as it otherwise would when the underfeed is made in one step. Another reason for effecting the underfeed in two steps is that the metering roll and its backing roll are rubber covered to prevent slipping of the Web therebetween so that in operation slight flattening of the engaged rubber gripping surfaces might cause variations in the length of web cyclically advanced by the continuously rotated metering roll, the additional increment of advance being adjustable to take care of such variations.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the drive to the metering roll and the additional increments of rotation applied to the metering roll are accomplished by novel mechanism including overrunning clutches whereby to permit such additional incremental rotation of the metering roll during the continuous cyclical rotation thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, represents a forming block or mandrel comprising a part of a container forming machine indicated generally at 12 having a plurality of such formingblocks which are arranged to be intermittently moved to the various container forming stations of the machine. In general, in the operation of such machines, the leading end of a Web 14 of sheet material is advanced into a position beneath the forming block 10 and severed to provide an individual sheet. The severed sheet is then folded about the forming block to form a tube, and the longitudinal marginal edges of the blank are adhesively secured together to provide a side seam. At a succeeding station of operation portions of the tube extending beyond the end of the forming block are folded and adhesively secured together to provide a bottom closure for the container. The adhesive for sealing the side seam and the bottom closure is applied to the sheet material during the advance thereof and prior to advancing the sheet into operative relation to the forming block. Subsequently, the formed container is stripped from the forming block ready to be filled and top sealed.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the printed web 14 is withdrawn from a supply roll 16 by web feeding mechanism including a continuously rotated metering roll 18 which cooperates with a backing roll 20. Both the metering roll and the backing roll are provided with a rubber covered surface to prevent slipping of the web therebetween. The web is then advanced through adhesive applying mechanism indicated generally at 22; through take-up mechanism 24 which takes up the slack in the web between intermittent feeding operations; and between the rolls of an intermittently operated feeding mehanism 25 comprising a lower driven feed roll 26 and a plurality of upper presser rolls 28. The intermittently operated feeding mechanism 25 is arranged to advance the leading end of the web 14 each cycle of operation into operative relation to be wrapped about its forming block 10, successive lengths bein severed from the web by intermittently operated shearing mechanism indicated generally at 30. In general, the continuously rotated metering roll 18 is rotated one revolution each cycle of operation, and feed correcting mechanism indicated generally at 32 is arranged to vary the feed in response to detecting means comprising a photosensitive control unit 34 disposed between the adhesive applying mechanism 22 and the take-up mechanism 24. As illus trated in FIG. 7, the printed web 14 is provided with spaced registration marks 36, and in operation the photosensitive control unit 34 is arranged to be energized at a predetermined time each cycle during the continuous movement of the web to detect the position of successive registration marks, any deviation beyond a predetermined tolerance causing actuation of the detecting unit to effect operation of the correcting mechanism. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the registration marks may be about one-eighth of an inch long. It will be understood that the intermittently operated feed rolls 26, 28 operate to advance the slack in the web each feeding cycle and that the rolls will slip relative to the web when the web becomes taut so as to compensate for any variation in the length of web advanced by the feed rolls 18, each cycle of operation.

The continuously rotated metering roll 18 is fast on a shaft mounted in a bracket 42 secured to the machine frame and is arranged to be rotated by a chain and sprocket drive 44 from a cam shaft 4-6 which in turn is driven by a chain and sprocket drive 47 from a cam shaft 48 forming a part of the container forming machine. The backing roll 20 is connected to rotate with the metering roll 18 by spur gears 50, 52.

The adhesive applying mechanism 22 is driven from the cam shaft 46 through a chain and sprocket drive 54 and is arranged to apply strips of adhesive to selected areas of the web as it passes over a guide roll 56 which cooperates with the adhesive applying roll 58. The web is then passed over a guide roll 60 and under a guide roll 62. From the guide roll 62 the web extends upwardly and over a take-up roll 64 and over a guide roll 66 before passing between the intermittently operated feed roll 26 and its cooperating presser rolls 28. The presser rolls 28 are carried by arms 68 mounted on a rocker shaft 70 supported in the machine frame, each presser roll being resiliently urged into engagement with the feed roll 26. Guide roll 66 is rotatably supported between arms 72 also fast on the rocker shaft 70.

The take-up roll 64 is carried by spaced curved arms 74 pivotally mounted at 76 and is urged to rock in a clockwise direction viewing FIG. 1 by springs 78 to take up the slack in the web between intermittent feeding operations of the feed roll 26. The feed roll 26 is rranged to be intermittently rotated by connections from the cam shaft 48 through mechanism including a gear and rack connection 80, the rack being adjustably connected at its lower end to a slotted cam lever 82 pivotally mounted at 84. The lever 82 is provided with a cam roll '86 which cooperates with a cam 88 fast on the cam shaft 48. The rack gear 90 is mounted on a shaft 911 and forms part of an overrunning clutch 94, the driven portion of the clutch being keyed to the shaft 91. The feed roll shaft 92 is driven from the shaft 91 through a train of gears indicated at 9 3. During the downward stroke of the rack the clutch is engaged to rotate the feed roll 26, and during the upward stroke of the rack the clutch is disengaged leaving the gear 90 free to rotate in a reverse direction. In operation, the intermittently operated feed roll 26 advances all of the slack portion of the Web to render the web taut at which time the arms 74 of the slack take-up mechanism 24 engage adjustable stops attached to the machine frame. Suitable braking means, not shown, may be provided to prevent overthrow of the feeding stroke at the end of the intermittent feeding operation.

The shearing mechanism 30- includes a stationary shear blade 96 and a cooperating movable blade 98 arranged to be vertically reciprooated through cam operated linkage indicated generally at 100. The severed sheet 15 advanced into operative relation to be wrapped about the forming block is arranged to be folded about the block by mechanism including vertically reciprocable folding plates 104 also arranged to be actuated through cam operated linkage indicated generally at 106.

The metering roll '18 is rotated continuously one revolution per cycle, and in accordance with the present invention the metering roll is of a circumference substantially less than the nominal length of successive printed sheets of the web. For example, the circumference of the roll 18 may be such as to advance a length of about oneeighth of an inch less than the nominal length of the sheet each cycle, and provision is made for rotating the roll 18 a further distance each cycle to advance successive sheets an additional length of about three-thirtyseconds of an inch so as to obtain a total advance each cycle of a length about one thirty-second of an inch less than the nominal length of a sheet.

In order to permit such additional advance each cycle, the sprocket 108 of the chain and sprocket drive 44 from the cam shaft 46 is connected to the driving member of an overrunning clutch 112, the driven mem ber I111 of which is fast on the metering roll shaft 40. In operation, the clutch is arranged to positively rotate the metering roll through one revolution each cycle and to permit further feeding movement in the direction of advance of the web each cycle, at which time the clutch 112 will be momentarily disengaged.

The mechanism for effecting such further feeding movement of the metering roll each cycle includes a second overrunning clutch 114, see FIG. 4, the driven member 116 of which is fast on the shaft 40 and the driving member 118 of which is provided with a radially extended arm 120 connected by cam operated linkage arranged to effect rocking of the arm each cycle. Rocking of the arm 120 in one direction effects disengagement of the clutch 114, and rocking in the other direction will engage the clutch. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the arm 120 is connected by a link 122 to one arm 124 of a two-arm lever pivotally mounted at 126, the arm 1124 being provided with an elongated slot 128 for adjustment of the link pin \1-30 therein to permit the throw of the arm 120 to be varied. The second arm 132 of the two-armed lever is provided with a cam r-oll 134 cooperating with a closed cam 136 fast on the cam shaft 46. Thus, in operation, the cam 136 is arranged to effect rocking of the clutch arm 120 each cycle of operation in a manner such as to advance the rotation of the metering roll 18 a short distance further than the cyclical advance effected by one revolution of the metering roll so that in practice the web is advanced a total distance of about one thirty-second of an inch less than the nominal length of a sheet to be severed from the web .It will be observed that the total length of web advanced each cycle may be varied by changing the position of the link pin 13% in the slot 1128.

Referring now to 'FIG. 2, the web registering and correcting mechanism 32 for effecting a further advance of the metering roll 18 to advance the web an additional increment in response to the photosensitive control unit 34 comprises a third overrunning clutch 140 similar to the clutch 114 and which is also provided with a driven member .142 fast on the shaft 40 and a driving member 144 provided with a radially extended arm '146. The arm 146 is connected by a link 148 to one arm 150 of a two-armed lever also pivotally mounted at I126, the arm 1 50 being provided with an elongated slot 152 for adjustment of the link pin \154 therein to permit the throw of the arm 146 to be varied. The second arm 156 Of the two-armed lever is provided with a cam roll 158 cooperating with a cam 160 fast on the cam shaft 46. A spring 162 connected to the arm '156 is provided to hold the roll against its cam.

The third overrunning clutch 140 is arranged to be engaged to effect an overfeed of the web 14 through the cam operated linkage described only in response to the photosensitive control mechanism 34 when it detects a deviation from a maximum tolerance. In order to prevent operation of the linkage until such time, latching mechanism indicated generally at 164 is provided to render the linkage inoperative until a deviation is detected, whereupon the latch mechanism is released to permit operation of the linkage. As herein shown, the latching mechanism 164 includes an arm 166 provided with a latch bar 168, the arm 166 being rockingly mounted on the pivot shaft 126 and provided with an extension 170 adjustably secured to the arm 150 by a pin and slot connection 172 as shown. A latch piece 174 carried by an arm 175 is arranged to normally engage the latch bar 168 to prevent operation of the linkage. The arm 175 is fast on a shaft 176, and a second arm 178 also fast on the shaft 176 is connected to the stem or plunger of an air cylinder 180. As shown in FIG. 2, the air cylinder 180 is connected in a compressed air line 182 which includes a normally closed solenoid valve 184 arranged to be opened when the photosensitive control unit 34 detects a maximum deviation from a predetermined length of successive sheets of the moving web. Thus, in operation, the operating linkage for the third overrunning clutch 140 is normally held in its locked or inoperative position, as shown, to limit the length of web advanced each cycle to a length slightly less than the nominal length of a printed sheet. However, when the detecting mechanism 34 detects a deviation in the advance of the web from a predetermined maximum toler ance during a cycle of operation, the latch piece 174 is rocked out of the path of the latch bar 168 to permit operation of the linkage and engagement of the clutch 140 to effect an overfeed of the web during the cycle in which such deviation is detected.

As shown in FIG. 8, the photoelectric control unit 34 is located intermediate the guide rolls 56, 68. After the web passes between the adhesive applying roll 58 and the cooperating guide roll 56, the web is supported on spaced rails 186 extending between the guide rolls 56, 60. During passage of the web over the spaced rails, the web is disposed with its printed side facing down and, accordingly, the control unit 34 is supported beneath the web.

The illustrated photoelectric control unit 34, see FIGS. 9 and 10, comprises a light source 188 and a photocell 189 mounted in a housing 190 adjustably secured to an angle member 192 to permit vertical adjustment of the housing relative to the underside of the web and focusing of the light beam on the web. The angle member 192 is mounted for lateral adjustment relative to the web in a base member 194, which latter is mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the web in a frame member 196. As thus supported, the light source 188 is arranged to cast its beam on the underside of the web which is reflected from the web at an angle, as shown, to be received by the photocell 189. In practice, the web 14 is initially threaded into the machine to present the leading printed section of the web in registered relation to the container forming mechanism and the severing mechanism, and when thus disposed, the detecting unit is adjusted to direct its beam centrally of a registration mark 36. When such adjustment is made for a particular roll of printer web material, a pointer 191 adjustably secured to the machine frame is aligned with the-registration mark so that when this roll is exhausted, the web of a subsequent similar roll threaded through the machine may be disposed with a registration mark in alignment with the pointer to assure proper alignment of the web with the detecting unit without further adjustment.

The photoelectric detecting unit 34 is arranged to be energized at a predetermined time in each cycle of operation by a cam operated switch 198 included in the circuit to the control unit 34. As herein shown, see FIG. 2, the switch 198 is provided with a switch arm 200 having a roller 2G2 cooperating with a timing cam 204 fast on the cam shaft 46. In operation, the cam 204 effects closing of the switch 198 at a predetermined time each cycle corresponding to a time when a registration mark passes the light beam, such time comprising the start of the scanning period of the photoelectric unit. The timing cam 204 may be adjusted to close the switch at such predetermined time each cycle, the switch being opened at the completion of the scanning period in readiness for a succeeding detecting cycle.

The operation of the photocontrol unit 34 is initiated by a change in intensity of light reaching the photocell 189 when the contacts of the switch 198 are closed. The entrance of the registration mark into the light beam causes a change in phototnbe current which produces a signal to be impressed upon the amplifier circuit closing a relay 206, see FIG. 11. The relay 206 controls the solenoid valve 184 for releasing the latching mechanism 164 to permit operation of the linkage for rocking the clutch 140 to effect a corrective or overfeeding stroke.

The control mechanism further includes a toggle switch, not shown, in the phototnbe circuit which can be set for Light Increase if the amount of light striking the phototube will increase when the register mark is interceptcd, as in the case of a printed web having a dark background with light register marks, or at Light Decrease if the amount of light will decrease when the register mark is intercepted, as in the case of a printed web having a light background with dark register marks.

The detecting unit 34, herein illustrated, is set at Light Decrease and is arranged to be excited to effect an additional increment of advance of the web only when the light beam is intercepted by a registration mark during the scanning period when the circuit is closed by the timing switch and then only when the beam is intercepted by the leading edge of a rapidly passing registration mark. In other words, the photocell is excited only when the beam falls first on the light background of the web and then onto the dark registration mark of the continuously moving web. If the beam falls directly on the mark when the switch is closed, no correction in the web feed is effected, and likewise, if the beam falls on the mark and then passes onto the light background of the web during the scanning period, no correction is made. In practice, the light beam continues to play upon the Web during the remainder of the cycle, the photocell being deenergized upon opening of the switch 198.

In operation of the control mechanism, assuming that the nominal or average length of successive printed sheets of the Web is 12 inches, for example, the operation of the metering roll and the cam operated web advancing clutch 114 are arranged to advance the web about ,33 of an inch less than the predetermined bag length, or about 11 inches each cycle of operation, so as to effect a gradual and cumulative lag of the marks 36 relative to the light beam until a point is reached where the beam is intercepted by a mark moving therepast. When this occurs, the cam operated web advancing clutch 149 is rendered operative to feed an additional increment of the web to provide, in effect an overfeed, the net advance of the Web being about of an inch more than the nominal length of a printed sheet, or a total of 12 inches. Thus, it will be seen that the web advancing movement is either increased or decreased relative to the nominal length of a printed sheet, between the permitted limits or variations thereof, so that in operation substantially correct registration of successive printed sheets of the web with the web severing and container forming mechanisms is obtained.

From the above description it will be seen that the printed web 14 having spaced registration marks 36 thereon corresponding to the nominal length of successive container forming sections may be continuously advanced a distance slightly less than the nominal distance between spaced registration marks each cycle in two steps including the advance effected by the cyclical rotation of the metering roll and the additional advance each cycle by the cam operated linkage to the overrunning clutch 114 to produce a predetermined underfeed, the advance effected by the clutch being adjustable to vary such underfeed. It will be further seen that the corrective feed or overfeed is also accomplished by adjustable cam operated linkage connected to an overrunning clutch when such overfeed is indicated by the photosensitive control mech anism.

In practice, when a different length of sheet is to be produced, the metering roll 18 is changed to accommodate such difterent length. It Will be noted that the adhesive applying roll 58 is rotated one revolution per cycle from the cam shaft 46 and is of a circumference equal to the nominal length of a printed sheet to apply adhesive to the selected areas as required.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms Within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed I. In a packaging machine, in combination, web feed ing and registering means for continuously advancing a printed web defining successive package forming sections and having substantially equally spaced registration marks thereon comprising a metering roll rotated one revolution per cycle of operation, said metering roll having a circumference such as to advance tthe web a distance substantially less than the nominal length of a package forming section each cycle, means operative each cycle for effecting a further rotation of the metering roll to effect a net advance of the web slightly less than the length of a package forming section, means for advancing the leading end of said web, control means comprising means for detecting the position of a registration mark at a predetermined time during the advance of the web, and means responsive to said detecting means when a deviation from a predetermined position beyond allowable tolerances is detected for effecting a still further rotation of said metering roll to feed an additional increment of thte web proriding a net advance of the web a distance slightly more than the nominal length of a package forming section.

2. In a packaging machine, in combination, web feeding and registering means for continuously advancing a printed Web defining successive package forming sections and having substantially equally spaced registration marks thereon comprising a metering roll rotated one revolution each cycle of operation, said metering roll having a circumference such as to advance the web a distance substantially less than the nominal length of a package forming section each cycle, means for driving said metering roll having provision to permit an additional increment of rotation relative to said driving means, means operative each cycle for effecting a further rotation of the metering roll to efiect a net advance of thte web slightly less than the length of a package forming section, means for advacing the leading end of said web, control means comprising means for detecting the position of a registration mark at a predetermined time during the advance of the web, and means responsive to said detecting means when a deviation from a predetermined position beyond allowable tolerance is detected for effecting a still further rotation of said metering roll to feed an additional increment of the web providing a net advance of the web a distance slightly more than the nominal length of a package forming section.

3. Web feeding and registering means as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for feeding said additional increments of the web is adjustable.

4. In a packaging machine, in combination, web feeding and registering means for continuously advancing a printed web defining successive package forming sections and having substantially equally spaced registration marks thereon comprising a metering roll rotated one revolution each cycle of operation, said metering roll having a circumference such as to advance the web a distance substantially less than the nominal length of a package forming section each cycle, means for driving said metering roll including an overrunning clutch to permit an additional increment of rotation of the metering roll relative to said driving means, means including a second overrunning clutch operative each cycle for effecting a further rotation of the metering roll to effect a net advance of the web a distance slightly less than the length of a package forming section, means for intermittently advancing the leading end of said web, control means comprising means for detecting the position of a registration mark at a predetermined time during the advance of the web, and means including a third overrunning clutch responsive to said detecting means when a deviation from a predetermined position beyond allowable tolerance is detected for effecting a still further rotation of said metering roll to feed an additional increment of the web providing a net advance of the web a distance slightly more than the nominal length of a package forming section.

5. In a packaging machine, in combination, web feeding and registering means for continuously advancing a printed web defining successive package forming sections and having substantially equally spaced registration marks thereon comprising a metering roll rotated one revolution each cycle of operation, a backing roll cooperating therewith, said metering roll having a circumference such as to advance the web a distance substantially less than the nominal length of a package forming section each cycle, means for driving said metering roll including an overrunning clutch to permit additional increments of rotation of the roll relative to said driving means, means including a second overrunning clutch operative each cycle for causing a further rotation of the metering roll to eifect a net advance of the Web a distance slightly less than the len th of a package forming section, means for intermittently advancing the leading end of the web, means for taking up the slack in the web between successive intermittent feeding operations, control means including means for detecting the position of a registration mark at a predetermined time during the advance of the Web, and means including a third overrunning clutch responsive to said detecting means when a deviation from a predetermined position beyond allowable tolerances is detected for effecting a still further rotation of said metering roll to feed an additional increment of the web providing a net advance of the web a distance slightly more than the nominal length of a package forming section, said intermittent advancing means arranged to advance all of the slack in the web and to slip relative to the web when the web becomes taut.

6. Web feeding and registering means as defined in claim wherein the control means includes an electrical circuit having a normally inoperative photosensitive detector arranged to cooperate with said registration marks, and a timing switch in said circuit for rendering said detector operative to detect the position of a registration mark at a predetermined time in the advance of the Web.

7. Web feeding and registering means as defined in claim 5 wherein the means for effecting further rotation of the metering roll each cycle includes cam operated linkage operatively connected to said second overrunning clutch, and means for adjusting said linkage to vary said further rotation.

8. Web feeding and registering means as defined in claim 5 wherein the means for effecting further rotation of the metering roll in response to said control means includes cam operated linkage operatively connected to said third overrunning clutch, and means for adjusting said linkage to vary said further rotation.

9. Web feeding and registering means as defined in claim 5 wherein the means for effecting a further rotation of the metering roll in response to said control means includes cam operated linkage operatively connected to said third overrunning clutch, latch means normally engageable with said linkage to prevent operation of the clutch, said latch means arranged to release said linkage when a registration mark is intercepted by said detecting means.

10. Web feeding and registering means as defined in claim 5 wherein the control means includes an electrical circuit having a photosensitive detector arranged to cooperate with said registration marks, cam operated linkage operatively connected to said third overrunning clutch, latch means normally engageable with said linkage to render the same inoperative, an air circuit having a normally closed solenoid valve connected in said electrical circuit and arranged to be energized to open the valve when a registration mark is intercepted, and an air cylinder in said air circuit operatively connected to said latch means arranged to be actuated to release said linkage when the valve is opened in response to said detecting means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,095,125 10/1937 Cornock 22632 2,548,136 4/1951 Auer 226-27 2,636,730 4/1953 Eaton 226-27 3,174,670 3/1965 Zernov 226l17 ALLEN N. KNOWLES, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PACKAGING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, WEB FEEDING AND REGISTERING MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING A PRINTED WEB DEFINING SUCCESSIVE PACKAGE FORMING SECTIONS AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUALLY SPACED REGISTRATION MARKS THEREON COMPRISING A METERING ROLL ROTATED ONE REVOLUTION PER CYCLE OF OPERATION, SAID METERING ROLL HAVING A CIRCUMFERENCE SUCH AS TO ADVANCE THE WEB A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE NOMINAL LENGTH OF A PACKAGE FORMING SECTION EACH CYCLE, MEANS OPERATIVE EACH CYCLE FOR EFFECTING A FURTHER ROTATION OF THE METERING ROLL TO EFFECT A NET ADVANCE OF THE WEB SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE LENGTH OF A PACKAGE FORMING SECTION, MEANS FOR ADVANCING THE LEADING END OF SAID WEB, CONTROL MEANS COMPRISING MEANS FOR DETECTING THE POSITION OF A REGISTRATION MARK AT A PREDE- 